Oliver felt an itch on his skin. Probably a small bug had crawled into his clothes, clumsily making its way along his skin, finally stopping near his gland.
He had lived in the confinement room for over a decade and rarely encountered bugs, because it was always very clean, the floor almost spotless.
Every time he was taken out by Si Hongche and returned, he would find that the place had been thoroughly cleaned, meeting cleanliness standards no less than those of the Blue Pivot high-ranking officers’ residences in the restricted area.
After all, he was someone frequently used by Si Hongche, so staying clean became a necessity.
Oliver didn’t want to harm any living creature, so he waited for the little bug to crawl away on its own.
Once it left, it would discover that there were many comfortable places with good food in this building, anywhere better than this dark room.
Moth Rongweng tucked its little legs into its small white round shell, nestling near Oliver’s gland to doze off.
Its master had told it not to act rashly, to wait until the person discovered it.
Now it seemed this person was sleeping soundly, not even reacting when it crawled over his ticklish spots.
Having a small bug on one’s body was always uncomfortable. Oliver finally opened his eyes slightly, but he was so exhausted that he didn’t even want to lift a finger.
So he released a little olive pheromone, trying to scare the bug away.
Moth Rongweng, half-asleep, suddenly smelled a fragrance different from its master’s. With eyes closed, it waved its antennae and moved closer, its little legs stepping on the soft gland. After confirming this was where the scent was most concentrated, it plopped down again.
Oliver: “……”
After a moment, seeing the bug had no intention of leaving, Oliver had to gather his strength and move his neck slightly.
As he moved, his skin tightened, causing Moth Rongweng to lose its grip and roll off the gland.
The little bug waved its legs, struggling for a while before managing to turn itself over. Looking up, it saw golden hair rubbing against the pillowcase, realizing the person was probably awake.
So it rallied its spirits, climbed up Oliver’s collar, and slipped in again.
This time, using all its legs, it found the relatively spacious chest, and following the training its master had taught many times, it dutifully began crawling in circles.
Oliver found that the bug, stimulated by his pheromones, became more active, actually crawling randomly on his chest. The little bug knew nothing, and when it crawled to certain places, it tickled Oliver so much he couldn’t help but tremble slightly.
His body had grown accustomed to pain, so the experience of being tickled was long forgotten.
Although neither sensation was pleasant, the bug had successfully pulled his mind out of the painful memories.
He became clearly aware that the pain was now in the past; his wounds had been completely repaired.
What a friendly little bug. He might as well let it do as it pleased.
He was a plant system Awakened one after all, and plants were meant to be crawled on by bugs.
Oliver took a deep breath, trying hard not to move his body, but the bug still showed no sign of stopping. It tirelessly crawled on his chest, and each time it reached a sensitive spot, Oliver had to grit his teeth to endure.
Wait, each time?
Oliver finally began to notice the route the bug was taking. Feeling the tickling sensation on his skin, his mind gradually traced a wandering line. Following the bug’s footsteps, the line finally stopped above his heart, converging into a complete message.
Oliver’s eyes snapped open, his emerald pupils trembling and flickering.
It was—363!
That was the hint he had given to the Black Lantern Society member in the virtual realm!
Oliver’s chest heaved violently, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably.
It wasn’t an illusion. He had come!
The person who delivered his meal today was the one who had come to kill him.
Moth Rongweng sensed Oliver’s unusual breathing and quickly stopped, carefully gripping his skin.
The current trembling was really unsuitable for bug walking; better to wait until the ground stabilized before continuing.
Oliver had learned his lesson now. Not knowing if Si Hongche was still watching the monitors, he didn’t make any rash movements.
He moved his fingers, letting a thin vine extend into his chest, using its delicate leaves to gently touch Moth Rongweng.
He could confirm this wasn’t a bug transformed by someone’s ability, because all passages to his room were covered with rare lead ore, which would nullify any ability passing through.
A poisonous bug?
That was good. After his death, no one would be implicated. He just didn’t know if the nutrients from his body could still be absorbed by plants and flowers, but he really couldn’t worry about that now.
It seemed that only at the moment of death could he truly feel joy.
From now on, he wouldn’t need to resent anyone or aspire to anything. On his thirty-sixth birthday, he would leave without joy or sorrow. No one needed to remember his birthday or death anniversary. He was alone, with no attachments or concerns.
Moth Rongweng, having been rubbed by the tender leaf, was about to bite, but the crisp, refreshing young leaf quickly withdrew.
It hurriedly chased after it for a couple of steps before remembering its mission, reluctantly waving its antennae vigorously.
It dutifully began crawling on Oliver’s chest again, thinking to itself: tender leaf, tender leaf, tender leaf, magnolia petal, magnolia petal, magnolia petal…
Oliver belatedly realized that this little bug might not be here to kill him but to tell him something.
Under Moth Rongweng’s movements, he quickly deciphered the second word—Uriel.
Uriel? Brother!
Oliver’s blood instantly froze, an indescribable coldness and trembling overtaking him.
Regarding what happened that year, he had too many unanswered questions. He didn’t understand why Uriel and Si Hongmei appeared simultaneously in the rainforest ecological zone, or what Uriel did to Si Hongmei in the surveillance footage.
Uriel firmly denied that the person in the surveillance was him, yet absolutely refused to mention where he had been that night.
Initially, Uriel was very confident, calmly staying in Blue Pivot’s temporary prison, even comforting Oliver, saying everything would eventually come to light and the truth would be revealed.
But then came that day when Oliver went to visit him again, and he had become unusually panicked and anxious. He begged Oliver to let him out, saying everything had gone terribly wrong and he had to save the lives of hundreds of people.
Oliver was deeply worried and wanted to ask for more details, but Uriel said it would bring mortal danger and refused to let him know more.
Oliver wanted to report to the district chief or even the Federation council, but Uriel gripped his hand, saying he couldn’t trust anyone in the restricted area.
Uriel even tore open his shirt, exposing his chest, willing to let Oliver use [Heart Questioning] to pierce his heart to prove his innocence.
Oliver’s heart ached like a knife, but he had no choice but to comply.
He got the answer he wanted in his heart: Si Hongmei was not killed by Uriel.
He understood that his brother had been framed, but by then, inspection team members from Districts Two and Seven were already heading toward the prison. With no time to learn more of the truth, he had to use his District Two authority to open the barrier door…
That was a night of darkness and sudden change.
Uriel left, but he stayed behind.
Whether his brother was the real culprit or not, he was the biggest suspect in the case.
Before the truth was uncovered, releasing a suspect without authorization—Oliver felt he had let Si Hongche down, so he chose to stay and take responsibility.
Before leaving, Uriel, clutching his blood-soaked chest, solemnly vowed: “Oliver, brother will definitely return with the truth, return to save you.”
Oliver didn’t need him to swear; whatever Uriel said, Oliver believed.
But eighteen years had passed, and he had heard nothing from his brother. Every day he waited, praying that his brother would return with the truth, return to save him, but in the end, he waited for nothing.
In the daily torture, his memories had become confused, his emotions dulled. He wasn’t even sure if his decision to let his brother go was based on trust in his brother or his own selfish desires.
He wasn’t even sure if he regretted his decision.
Oliver could no longer lie still. He struggled to sit up, disregarding his sweat-soaked clothes and stiff, numb limbs. He carefully protected his chest to prevent the bug from falling due to his movements.
Then he laboriously slid off the bed and staggered toward the bathroom.
Although his wounds had healed, his body was far from what it once was. Weak limbs were common, and stiff joints were the norm. He had once been a long-distance runner at Star University, but now he was out of breath just walking normally.
He supported himself against the cold wall, entering the only place in the confinement room without surveillance.
The moonlight was cool, shining through the only narrow window onto his paper-white skin.
Oliver unbuttoned his shirt and gently lifted Moth Rongweng out. Breathing heavily, he asked urgently yet awkwardly: “Here, no surveillance, what do you, want to… tell me?”
Moth Rongweng couldn’t understand his mumbling at all and continued dutifully circling in his palm.
Oliver’s temples were already damp with cold sweat. Wind finally blew in through the ventilation opening, stirring his soft golden hair.
He kept his palm still, earnestly trying to interpret the message the little bug wanted to convey.
This message was a bit longer, but Oliver still deciphered it—
When nobody.
He quickly realized that the Black Lantern Society wanted to ask him when the corridor would be empty so they could speak with him.
The little bug had limited abilities after all, with no way to transmit more complex messages or tell him where his brother was.
But what about the surveillance?
Oliver twisted his neck, glancing outside through the ventilation opening.
Under the same stars, occasional restricted area residents took night walks near the Blue Pivot building.
A pet dog shook its bell, barking loudly a couple of times before being lovingly held by its owner, who fed it a piece of chewy jerky.
Moth Rongweng, frightened by the faint dog barking, retracted its legs, hugged its antennae, and trembled.
Oliver seemed to sense Moth Rongweng’s emotions. He slightly curled his palm, using tender vines from his fingertips to carefully stroke Moth Rongweng’s white shell.
Moonlight fell on his golden curled eyelashes. With trembling eyelids, he said softly: “Don’t… be afraid, I’m here.”
Perhaps it was Oliver’s gentle tone, or the weak warmth of his palm that gave Moth Rongweng a sense of security. After hiding for a while, it finally released its two antennae and began waving them again.
It extended one little leg, venturing to grab the crisp, tender vine leaf. Oliver saw its intention and generously pinched off the smallest leaf from the tender vine, feeding it to Moth Rongweng’s mouth.
The vine branch was created from his blood. As Awakened ones continuously improved their abilities, they would get infinitely closer to their attribute source. With fourth-tier abilities, animal system, plant system, insect system, and elemental system Awakened ones could completely transform. Once they possessed fifth-tier abilities, human nature would completely transform into divine nature, no longer constrained by any emotions or desires.
However, the creation of fifth-tier abilities required perfect timing, location, and harmony. To this day, no Awakened one had developed a fifth-tier ability.
Oliver had only four abilities.
His first-tier ability [Heart Questioning] connected his vines to another’s heart, allowing him to ask questions. As long as the other person’s strength was lower than his, the answer would definitely be truthful.
His second-tier ability [Vine Proliferation] could control all plants within a one-kilometer radius.
His third-tier ability [Virtual Realm] could create powerful illusions, making it impossible for those trapped within to distinguish truth from falsehood.
His fourth-tier ability [Conjugation] could bind one life to another life form, sharing the same fate of life and death.
Though he was an attack-type Awakened one, none of his abilities were designed for killing.
Moth Rongweng was overjoyed. It hurriedly hugged the crisp, tender leaf, rolled over in Oliver’s palm, exposing its belly to Oliver as a gesture of goodwill. Then it hugged the leaf and began eating with relish, completely forgetting the frightening dog barks.
The leaf was sweet with a fresh fragrance, tastier than any plant it had ever gnawed on. Moreover, after eating it, its antennae’s sensing ability seemed stronger, and its bug brain felt clearer.
Oliver watched it eat attentively. The little bug ate with gusto, kicking its legs and waving its antennae, its white little shell spinning in his palm, both comical and adorable.
Oliver didn’t even notice that, as he watched, the corners of his lips curled up for the first time in a long while.
In this place of confinement, this place of imprisonment, he found a moment’s solace in a little bug.
He was needed. It turned out he was still needed by this world.
Past midnight, all was quiet.
Lance waited in the dormitory until he was yawning continuously and drowsy. Finally, Moth Rongweng returned with a round, bulging belly.
By now, Zhan Pingchuan was already sleeping beside him. Sharing a single bed was quite cramped, but the little idiot who had kissed his gland was clingy, refusing to leave his room, claiming his back hurt whenever separation was suggested.
Lance simply took advantage when he wasn’t paying attention, secretly feeding him some sedative to ensure the little idiot wouldn’t suddenly wake up, and then let him stay.
The little bug had crawled back from afar, frantically shaking its dew-covered antennae, showing Lance its hard work.
“…Why do you look rounder?” Lance eyed Moth Rongweng suspiciously.
Moth Rongweng covered its belly with emotional fragility.
It had only eaten one little leaf, how could it be rounder?
Lance didn’t really mind. He took the opportunity to glance at the sleeping Zhan Pingchuan before continuing to ask: “What was his answer?”
The little bug clenched its legs, noticing that the target who should have been poisoned to death by now was casually holding its master’s waist, even slipping his fingers inside its master’s clothes, who knows what he was touching!
This was absolutely outrageous!
The little bug took a running start, about to pounce on Zhan Pingchuan, but Lance caught it in time, laughing: “No, you can’t.”
The bug shook its antennae pitifully.
Lance opened his palm, gently stroking its white shell, softly scolding: “Don’t be coy.”
The bug had no choice but to turn its back resentfully, crawling reluctantly in Lance’s palm.
The circles Oliver had taught it to draw were simple and easy to remember.
Lance only needed to see it once to understand Oliver’s answer—3AM.
Three o’clock in the morning.
Lance chuckled lightly: “These Blue Pivot people are really workaholics, only completely deserted at 3 AM.”
It didn’t matter if Blue Pivot staff worked overtime, but this meant Duma would have to work overtime too. Who knew if it would affect the child’s growth and development.
At least for him, not sleeping well meant he’d be a bit grumpy the next morning.
Not too much, just a bit irritable.
Lance looked down at the arm around his waist, murmuring to himself: “Can’t let that kiss go to waste.”
Moth Rongweng was tired now too. After completing the circles Oliver had taught it, it used all its legs to crawl into Lance’s sleeve to sleep.
Lance finally removed his glasses, placed them on the bedside table, and carefully snuggled into Zhan Pingchuan’s embrace, trying to catch up on sleep in the time remaining.
Tonight was too late, but tomorrow would be the time for him to reveal his identity.
##
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
![You’re Causing Chaos Again [e-sports]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1sMqC2JNjIep8Ov.jpg "You’re Causing Chaos Again [e-sports]")
